Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg speaks on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on October 22, 2019.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Verizon remembers 2.5 million hotspot devices after discovering that the lithium-ion battery can overheat, creating a fire and burn hazard.
The withdrawal affects Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots imported by Franklin Wireless Corp and sold between April 2017 and March 2021. The affected models are labeled: MHS900L, MHS900LS and MHS900LPP. Verizon unveiled the recall on Thursday, along with a notification from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
A Verizon spokesman said that just over one million of the devices mentioned are currently in use, ie currently or recently used by customers.
According to the withdrawal notice published by the CPSC, Verizon received 15 reports of overheating of the hotspots. Six of these reports included incidents of fire damage to bedding or floors and two involved minor burn injuries.
The withdrawal comes at a time when more consumers have relied on hotspots to settle during home orders resulting from the pandemic. Some of the hot spots were provided to students by their schools to continue distance learning, according to the recall notice. Parents who have received hotspots from their children’s schools are advised to contact the schools to receive a replacement.
Other customers may request a replacement by accessing ellipsisjetpackrecall.expertinquiry.com or by calling 855-205-2627.
The company has already sent a software update to the hotspots, which it said will help reduce the risk of overheating. The update prevents the hotspot from loading while it is on. Verizon also provided tips to avoid overheating, including turning off devices when not in use, placing them on a flat, solid surface, making sure nothing covers them, and exposing them to extreme temperatures for long periods of time. of time.
“The safety of our customers is our highest priority,” Verizon said in a statement. “We take the situation very seriously and work hard to determine the cause of the problems with the supplier and to provide free replacement devices to all our customers.”
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